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The Thrustmaster Ferrari Vibration GT Cockpit is the Greatest Name for a Controller Ever

The name "Thrustmaster Ferrari" might sound like the moniker of a space captain in an Italian B-movie or a 70's porn star, but it's actually the name of a new Ferrari inspired steering wheel that premiered at Gamescom. Well, actually, that's only part of its name.

The steering wheel controller's official name is the (take a deep breath) "Thrustmaster Ferrari Vibration GT Cockpit 456 Italia Edition". This steering cockpit for the Xbox 360 earned that name because it was modeled from the actual Ferrari 458 Italia Edition steering wheel at 7/10ths its original size. It even has flappy-paddle gear boxes and an "engine start" button.

It also places a great deal of emphasis on portability and ease of use. The entire rig can be folded up and carried from a simple handle, but it is also fully adjustable and stable, thanks to a weighted base and the two metal pedals that are built into the base.

It also claims it can simulate the vibrations that come from driving a real car with its "G.V.S. (Global Vibration System)" that sends the vibrations to the entire device, not just through the steering wheel.

It looks good but just like an actual Ferrari, no one can say for sure how good it is without taking it for a test drive.

Thrustmaster's press release:

Ready for some good vibrations with Thrustmaster’s new Ferrari Cockpit for Xbox 360?

London, August 15, 2012 — Thrustmaster is pleased to unveil the first cockpit officially licensed for Xbox 360 with a built-in wheel and pedal set. An official Ferrari licensed product, this cockpit concept is adjustable and foldable, and uniquely incorporates a technology which spreads out vibrations in games throughout the cockpit's entire structure!

Designed for instant fun

The philosophy behind this cockpit is to maximize users' gaming time: say goodbye to long installation processes, and to the hassle of attaching your wheel to a table or desk and connecting a pedal set… Feel like playing? Now you can do so almost instantly, and there’s no need to rearrange your living room's setup, either: the cockpit can be used almost anywhere, and easily adapts to any seating arrangement (sofa, armchair…) and to any user's size (adults, teens, children…) thanks to its adjustable design, which can easily be adjusted both in length and in height. This highly innovative approach is summed up by Stefano Saporetti, Head of Licensing at Ferrari S.p.A.: "Our work with Thrustmaster shows both companies’ commitment to our shared values, namely a dedication to innovation and quality. This product brings its unique concept, with the emotional impact of Ferrari, right into users’ living rooms, allowing them to enjoy racing in a very immersive way." And when you factor in the cockpit's convenient carrying handle, you've got everything you need to be able to jump right into the action every time you hear the racetrack call your name, and quickly store the cockpit away in some unobtrusive spot when it's not in use… to avoid causing too much jealousy!

The wheel on the Ferrari Vibration GT cockpit 458 Italia edition incorporates G.V.S. (Global Vibration System) technology, allowing for the high-frequency vibrations from the motors to be felt not only on the wheel itself, but also throughout the cockpit's entire steering column and pedal set as well, for incredibly realistic sensations and total immersion in games. The wheel is ultra-precise, featuring 16-bit performance for more than 65,000 values on the wheel's steering. Gear shifting is carried out via the metal Up & Down sequential paddle shifters. The wheel also features a Manettino® dial, just like on the real Ferrari® car! Textured rubber grips on the wheel ensure optimal comfort, and the cockpit even includes a headset connector for communication during multi-player gaming.

Unique metal look

With its streamlined “Musetto” body shape featuring a metal structure, the Ferrari Vibration GT cockpit 458 Italia edition looks great in any living room. Its wheel measures 28 cm in diameter, and is a 7/10 scale replica of the wheel on the Ferrari F458 Italia. Its wide, weighted base weighs in at over 10 kg, providing the cockpit with excellent overall stability.

Another huge advantage in relation to a standard setup is that the 2 metal pedals are built directly into the cockpit, further increasing stability. What’s more, everything is ready for use in games by simply connecting the cockpit to user’s console. The pedals can be moved for your comfort which will also have an effect on the progressive resistance on the brake pedal for maximum realism.

The Ferrari Vibration GT cockpit 458 Italia edition will be at the beginning of October, at a suggested retail price of £279.99 (VAT included).

This product is manufactured under license from Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft, Kinect, Xbox, Xbox LIVE, Xbox 360, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

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